The Ostby & Barton Company was a jewelry firm established by Engelhart C. Ostby and Nathan B. Barton on July 1, 1879 in Providence, Rhode Island.
Engelhart Cornelius Ostby was a goldsmith who immigrated to the United States from Oslo, Norway.
The Ostby Barton Company, which he co-founded, became the largest producer of gold rings in the United States during that time.
As a very successful jeweler, beginning in 1906, each year Engelhart and daughter, Helen, traveled to Europe together to view the newest ring styles and designs which European jewelers had created as well as purchase gemstones for his jewelry business.
After the iceberg collision at 11:40 p.m. on April 14th, both father and daughter waited to board Lifeboat No.5. Due to the temperature being around 25-28 degrees F, Ostby decided to return to his cabin for warmer clothing.
His daughter, Helen, was forced to board the lifeboat without her father at 12:55 p.m. She survived.
The Titanic sank at 2:20 a.m. on April 15, 1912. Engelhart Ostby was later listed as corpse #234 in the list of the deceased.
In 1914, Helen, her brother, Harold and one of his daughters became joint owners of Ostby Barton.
Ostby & Barton Company ceased jewelry production in the 1950s. Helen Ostby died in 1978 at age 88.
